I love new chapters. New days. New hopes. Blank pages.
Every January we have the opportunity to start fresh. Reboot. Re-think our priorities and start over.
However, I’ve never been into New Year’s Resolutions. They have never really worked for me (and I’ve talked with countless women who feel the same).
Instead, every year I choose a word of the year.
The idea is that by choosing a word of the year, you’re choosing to “live into” the energy of that word throughout the year. Since 2009, each year I have chosen a word and each year I have experienced huge shifts moving my life forward.
The year I chose Courage, I ended a relationship that had caused me pain for years. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done.
The year I chose Vision, I discovered the vision of becoming a life coach (and here I am so you know how that one worked out!)
The year I chose Grace, I had an abundance of beautiful opportunities for deep connection with the hubby, extended family, and my Modern Married community.
The year I chose Success, I redefined what success looked like for me, so that now I have a clear compass of what authentic success is, based on my values.
Choosing a word of the year has been so powerful and impactful in my life that over the years I’ve developed a simple 9 step process to share with you on How to Choose One Word to Turbo-Charge Your Year:
- Ask Questions. If you only ask one question, ask this one: Who do I want to be? If you like to linger inside the answer of a beautiful question, here are some more to spark your imagination:
- How do I want to feel?
- What excites me?
- What makes me smile?
- What makes me feel relaxed and at peace?
- What is my Highest Vision for my life this year?
- If I achieved one Goal next year that would make me feel like I accomplished something great, what would that Goal be?
But seriously all you need to ask is, Who do I want to be? And see what comes up for you.
2. Be with the feeling. Put on your favorite inspiring song. For me it’s Daniel Nahmod’s Everything New. Put on a song you can close your eyes to and just feel the feeling of who you want to be.
3. Choose a word. Or let it choose you. Sometimes you close your eyes and the word pops into your head. Sometimes you need a list of words to choose from. Some of my favorites are included in the graphic above.
4. Trust that the word that comes to you is the word that will bring you the greatest growth. It may not make immediate sense, sometimes words choose us because they provide fertile ground for our growth.
5. Complete these sentences:
- I love this word because:
- The effect of this word in my life is:
- Where can I put this word so I see it daily?
6. Share your word. With someone understanding, someone who will support you in experiencing the effect of the word you have chosen. If the hubby is available, tell him, if not, tell a friend or share in The Modern Married Wife group. Describe in as much detail as you can the feelings and accomplishments that living into the intention of this word will bring you this year.
7. Stand in the power of your word. When a building is under construction, the first thing that happens is a foundation is dug deep into the ground. During this phase of construction there is dust, debris and general chaos. This is normal and to be expected. In fact, the taller the sky scraper, the deeper the foundation. Imagine your life is a sky scraper. You are building the foundation by living into the energy and intention of your magical word.
8. Be ready for challenges. Remember what a construction site looks like. There are drills and cranes and large scooping machines clearing out space for the new structure. Sometimes it’s dirty, noisy, messy and not pretty. When our life is like that we think there is something wrong. Let’s declare it something right. What if we thought: Oh! We are under construction! That sky scraper is coming up and it’s going to be Awesome!
9. Take the Oath – Repeat out loud with a mixture of solemnity and delight the following words:
I hereby commit to living my word this year. I will remember to BE the person I want to be. I will DO the things I want to do and then I will HAVE the results that represent Authentic Success to me. I will take Baby Steps towards my goals. When I feel “under construction” I will declare it good. I know my skyscraper is being built. Every day I will look for and find Inspiration and Power in my Words, Feelings, Thoughts and Actions. And so it is. Amen.
What will your word of the year be for 2020?
